EMV (Europay, MasterCard, Visa) chip technology has been used worldwide for several years to protect card purchases and it is now being adopted here in the United Sates. Countries that use the EMV chip have seen a huge decline in counterfeit cards since it is virtually impossible to clone a chip card.

EMV chip cards contain an embedded computer chip – the small, metallic square you see on your card. Unlike magnetic-stripe cards, every time an EMV chip card is used at an EMV-enabled terminal to make a purchase, the card chip dynamically creates a unique one-time use transaction code verified by the point-of-sale device. Even if a fraudster were to capture this information, it would not be usable to complete another transaction.

All Burke & Herbert Bank Visa Debit Cards and Business Visa Debit Cards include both a chip and a magnetic stripe on the back of the Card. This means you will be able to use your Cards at merchants with chip-enabled terminals as well as at those that have not yet installed new point-of-sale devices.

To use your chip card at a terminal that has a chip reader, insert your card into the slot and keep it there until your transaction is complete. Be patient! The transaction may take just a little longer than what you are used to, but the fraud-prevention benefits make it worth the wait. When making a purchase at a non-chip-enabled terminal, simply swipe your card and follow the prompts to complete your transaction as usual.

Frequently Asked Questions

Provided below are answers to questions you may have about EMV chip cards. If you have other questions about the EMV chip or prefer to speak with us directly, please visit a branch or call us at 703-684-1655 to speak with a Customer Service Representative.

Cards with chip technology are extremely difficult to counterfeit or copy when used with a chip-enabled terminal. The chip card dynamically creates a unique one-time use transaction code verified by the point-of-sale device. Even if a fraudster were to capture this information, it would not be usable to complete another transaction.

Yes, you can continue to use the magnetic stripe on the card as you do today at merchants that do not yet have chip-enabled terminals. Simply swipe your card as usual and follow the prompts on the screen to complete your transaction.

Yes, for most in-person purchases, you will be asked to complete your transaction by entering a PIN or signing a receipt. There is no change to this process as a result of the new chip card technology. Card payments made online do not require either a PIN or signature.